The Sainsbury’s Local application for Valley Road Hebden Bridge is going to the Planning Committee on 16th September, where the Officers are recommending Approval.

All the people who objected will be informed in writing by Calderdale Council and this will include what time it will be heard. This notice will arrive at least 5 days before 16th September. The Planning Committee meeting is in Halifax Town Hall.

Save Our Shops Hebden Bridge is calling for as many people as possible to attend the Planning meeting, where one person who represents the objectors will be allowed to speak for 5 minutes.

Here is the Facebook event page where people can sign up if they are attending the Planning meeting.

SOS Hebden Bridge objections to Sainsbury’s Local

Objectors say that if the Sainsbury’s Local goes ahead, it will damage the ’vitality and vibrancy’ of the town centre.

Then there are the highways issues – objectors say that there still seems to be a lack of comment from Highways on the application documentation and they need to see their commentary on the planning application.

The Sainsbury’s statement on transport raises several issues:

1) The removal of 3 town parking spaces, valuable parking the town cannot afford to lose when it is already struggling with parking provision. The reason for this is so an 11m rigid, or a 10.7m articulated delivery lorry can navigate round the roads. They say they have mapped this but have shown no evidence.

2) The Health & Safety executive risk assessment asks the following

• How big is the vehicle and the load?
• How easy is it to manoeuvre the vehicle?
• What is the standard of visibility(forward and mirrors)?
• Do vehicles need to reverse?

A large rigid truck turning (11.5m) has a 12.5m radius to the outside. Objectors say they are very much convinced that is NOT sufficient space to manoeuvre a 90degree bend at either end of Regents Street.

The artic lorry possibly has a smaller turning circle as the plan for a 12.5m turn can cope with a 17.9m truck.

3. The size and frequency of the delivery vehicle for the size of the streets in that area, plus

4. The town is a busy place with people often walking in the road, although Sainsbury’s do state in their transport statement that they will deliver at non-busy times. But if it is Not at busy times, then what about noise issues in a residential area?

5. Providing no store parking, when we know people often use cars to pop into the town.

There is a query about, if they use larger vehicles, and using busy times for deliveries… What can people do?